Bad Rap

Mission:
Education, Rescue, Support.
Education: BR coaches pit bull owners by offering free breed specific information, responsible ownership protocol and dog training. Shelters receive training and materials to help them match sound dogs with qualified adopters. The public receives breed specific information to help demystify this challenging breed.
Rescue: BR hand selects needy dogs from bay area shelters as we have room, trains them in home fostercare settings, and matches them with permanent, well screened adopters.
Support: Pit bull owners receive support to help prevent them from surrendering their dogs to the overcrowded shelter system. They also receive camaraderie, socialization opps and healthy dog exercise outlets to help them enjoy their pets and remain responsible dog owners. Programs:
BR's programs include our popular Pit Ed Classes offer free dog training to pit bull owners and free coaching so dogs can qualify for their CGC (Canine Good Citizen) Certification. This program benefits 250 pit bull owners and their dogs.
BR provides responsible ownership education at various outreach events throughout the year (pet fairs, parades, and various public workshops and events)
BR runs a popular website with pertinent, up to the minute information to help pit bull owners be better informed. The website records an average of 2500 visitors each day.
BR answers up to 1000 emails and phone calls a year from dog owners seeking seasoned advice on a variety of issues related to pit bulls.
BR operates a successful rescue program to offer salvation and relief to 40-50 homeless pit bulls a year. Rescued dogs are home fostered, trained and matched up with qualified, well screened homes.

Community Reviews

I remain a huge fan of Bad Rap and their two-pronged mission to educate people and restore the American pit bull terrier to its rightful place in our country. They have been a huge help to me with my rescued pit. Their website and Facebook page are an excellent way to learn about the dogs and see the rescues they bring into their fold. All of us who follow them celebrate the placement of each dog. Many go on to have their own blogs so we can even keep up with them in their new homes. No, their miniscule staff doesn't have time to answer every email that comes in, but they are quite transparent about what goes on at the Bad Rap Barn. The dedication of this organization to training people to handle and enjoy these great dogs is amazing, and I will continue to support their efforts.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I became a volunteer handler at Berkeley Animal Control Services primarily so I could learn from and help Bad Rap. They have an awesome program that allows trained BACS volunteers to take pit bulls from the shelter to Bad Rap training classes. The idea behind this relationship is that a pit bull who is even slightly trained and somewhat socialized is much more likely to be adopted. Also, anyone who adopts a pit from the BACS shelter gets to attend Bad Rap's classes at no charge! I ended up adopting my "trainee" when no one else was interested. She was a terrible fence-fighter and very dog-reactive, but I saw potential. The Bad Rap trainers got us through the basics, gave me some socialization tips, and generally were just THERE for me when I needed questions answered. My dog passed her Canine Good Citizen test (much to my surprise) within a few months. Now we've moved on, and she's working on being certified as a therapy dog and an allergy-alert service dog. The Bad Rap folks gave both of us the confidence we needed to start out relationship, and I will be forever grateful for their expertise and patience.